9 Cocktails Ideas for Summer
Summer has arrived, the weather is getting hotter, the days are getting longer and life seems to be getting a little easier. But that heat might make you thirsty, so you might need a cocktail!
From a classic mojito to a ruby impromptu on a highball using fresh summer raspberries to a bright and bittersweet Sprite, these drinks are chilled and will quickly get you pumped up. A simple, cool and delicious cocktail is all you need on a long, sweaty summer day.
Here are 9 cocktail ideas to help you.
Whiskey Smash 🍸
When people think of summer drinks, they tend to think of spirits - gin, vodka, tequila - but brown spirits are just as refreshing. Take this bourbon, lemon and mint classic. It's crisp, sweet enough, and full of flavor, just like a whiskey drink should be.
Blackberry Wine Slushy 🍸
When a glass of red wine is too hot, this blender drink will cool you down. Vodka, blackberries, orange juice and wine are topped with agave and a little sugar, then, after a whoopee, more blackberries to garnish. Because at this time of year, the motto is: more berries, please.
Mojito 🍸
On a hot summer day, the iconic Cuban cocktail is a breath of fresh air. A messy mint gives an invigorating vibrancy to the sweet mixture of lime juice and rum. The soda on top adds just the right amount of effervescence to keep you on your toes as the heat drags you and your feet down.
Cucumber, Basil and Lime Gimlet 🍸
This refreshing Gimlet has all the best parts of the name, so you know exactly what to expect: moisturizing cucumber, fragrant basil and lime. Plus, vodka and lemonade - you know, just in case your thirst needs extra quenching.
Golden Gate Spritz 🍸
Lazy summer afternoons call for this simple three-ingredient Sprite variation, and this type is the summer drinking version. For this spritz, finish the amaro and grapefruit juice with sparkling wine, garnish with grapefruit zest, then relax and chill.
Aperol Spritz 🍸
This classic Spritz is an Italian happy hour tradition and is recognized by most people. Low ABV Aperol is hit with prosecco and soda to make a swallowable aperitif. Served with finger foods, like olives and charcuterie, you won't feel guilty about taking a second drink.
Por Mi Amante 🍸
Rum infused with strawberries is a summer glass in itself, but it's especially seasonal and easy to make when mixed with lemon juice and fresh strawberry demerara syrup. Add a few drops of Tabasco to keep it alive.
Land of Happy 🍸
Don't let the homemade shrub made with honeydew, basil and white balsam scare you from drinking this cocktail. It's as easy as mixing the ingredients together and letting them simmer on the stove. What would you do with the leftover summer squash rinds - throw them away? Once the shrub is made, assembling the drink is as easy as one, two, three.
This summer, raise a glass to a return to simple pleasures: easy cocktails, with friends and family. Because, really, what else do you need to feel satisfied in life?
